Take-up for circular-knitting machines.



H. A. HOUSEMAN. TAKE-UP FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION. FILED SEPT- 14, I915.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET I FIG.

H. A. HOUSEMAN.

TAKE-UP FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.'

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- MI 1915.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Harry 4. fl ozzsem'arz H. A. HOUSEMAN.

TAKE-UP FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14, 1915.

1,198,448. Patented Sept. 19,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

F76. 6. W/TIVESi' 3 //VVEIVTO/? figy'y l4. Houseman UNITED STATES P EN HARRY A. HOUSEMAN, on PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR '10 STANDARD oFFroE;

MACHINE COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TAKE-UP FOR CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patnted S t 19, 1916.

Application filed September 14, 1915,. Serial No. 50,554.

'Circular-Knitting Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a take-up motion, adapted more especially to a circular lmittin'g machine of the rotary needle cylinder type, whereby twisting of the fabric, in its passage from the needles to the take-up, will be avoided during oscillation of the -needle cylinder as well as during rotation thereof.

Another object of the invention is to cause the take-up to maintain a constant and uniform tension upon the fabric delivered by the needles, notwithstanding variations in the tension of the needles upon the yarn and in the length of fabric that is produced relatively to the rate of speed of operation of the knitting mechanism.

Another object of the invention isto maintain a continuous and uninterrupted pull of the take-up upon the fabric as distinguished from repeated interruptions of the pull to enable the take-up spring to be rewound.

In the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention: Figure l is a front elevation of a part of the machine with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is an enlarged elevation of a part ofthe take-up mechanism broken away on the line 33 Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a plan view of same with the driving gear and support omitted. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of same taken on a plane at right therefore briefly describe this driving mechanism, it being understood, however, that the take-up motion is applicable to any type of circularknitting machine, particularly that type having a rotatable needle cylinder, and

that the actuating means for the take-up motion will necessarily vary in detail with the general construction of the machine to which it is applied. The driving mechanism herein partially disclosed is the same as that shown in the application for patent filed by Harry A. Houseman on the 22d day of September, 1915, Serial No. 51,939.

On the machine frame a is supported the needle cylinder; 1) which has secured to its lower end a gear a, driven through the idler d from a gear 6 on the clutch shaft f. On shaft f are slidably mounted pinions g, h,

which have sleeves to which are yoked rigid arms from a frame 2', vertically slidable upon a post j, by means of pin and cams m, controlled by pattern mechanism, not

shown.

A clutch member at is secured to shaft 7 between pinions g and k. The upper pinion g is constantly rotated and the lower pinion h is constantly oscillated. Wherf the frame i is moved down, thus engaging the rotary pinion g with clutch member a and disengaging the oscillatory pinion h therefrom, as is the case in Fig. 1, gear 6 is constantly rotated, rotating the needle cylinder. When the frame 71 is elevated, disengaging rotary pinion g from clutch member n and engag-- ing oscillatory pinion h therewith, gear e is constantly oscillated thus oscillating the needle cylinder.

Pinion g is constantly rotated by being continually in mesh with a spur gear 0, turnfollowing means: Attached to the lower end of shaft 3) is a crank arm t, connected, by a link a, with an arm of a quadrant o mounted upon a post '10 and constantly in .mesh with pinion h. In this manner, at certain points in the knitting of the. fabric dictated by the before-mentioned pattern mechanism, cams m are advanced. to act upon pin is to-lower or raise frame i, as the case may-be, thus connecting clutch member a with one or other of. the inions g or h and causing the needle cylind rnto either rotate or oscillate. 1

A gear 8, attached to the lower end of shaft' 1, through an intermediate idler 9, drives an annular gear '10, mounted in a bracket 11, and directly beneath the needle to, and-turning on the same axesas, the respective gears e, d, 0 driving the needle cylinder, it follows that annular gear 10 will have the same movement as the needle cylin der at all times. A take up drum 12 is supported on an adjustable step bearing 13 on an arm 11' projecting from an extension of bracket 11, and is held in vertical alinement with the needle cylinder by lugs 14; on top of thedrum bored to engage similar concentrically arranged lugs 15 projecting downwardly from a centering ring 16 attached to annular gear 10. A pin 17 in one of the lugs 14 engages a slot in the corresponding lug 15, thereby locking drum 12 to gear 10 in its rotary and oscillatory motions, and still allowing a certain amount of vertical adjustment therebetween. I

The spindles 19 of a take up roller 18 are mounted on bearings 20 on the top of the drum, and a contact roller 21, also mounted in the top of the drum, is held in spring pressed contact with roller 18 and geared to rotate with same by equal gears 22. The knitted fabric as it passes from the needle cylinder is led directlydown to one side of roller 18, between the two rollers 18 and 21, and thence down into drum 12. As both drum and roller are given the same motionv varies.' Toobtain this result, I provide the following construction: The take-up roller 18 has one fixed head 23 mounted loosely on spindle 19, and one loose head 24 pinned to the spindle, with a long helical spring 25 connecting the two heads. A ratchet wheel 26 is pinned to spindle 19, and is actuated by a spring pawl 27 carriedvon one arm of a bell crank lever 28 pivoted on an axis 29 arranged diametrically in the annular ring of gear 10, directly over the take-up roller. The other arm of bell crank lever 28 has a side knob 30 which projects into a cam slot the moving of the machine, the ratchet wheel is constantly ratcheted forward, winding up spring 25 to maintain the tension necessary to take up the fabric, at which tension it I turns the roller'18 in unison with the ratchet wheel. A spring pressed pawl 32 holds the ratchet from retrograde movement.

fabric is being delivered from the needles at a maximum rate. That is, the ratchet wheel is turned at a speed not less than the maximum speed of turning of the take-up roller. As is well known, during the knitting of a stocking, the tension upon the yarn is varied, resulting in a variation in the linear production of fabric in a given number of rotations or oscillations of the needle cylinder. It is obvious, therefore, that when the fabric is delivered from the needles at a slower rate of speed than the maximum, if the ratchet wheel were continuously operated, the spring 25 would be wound up by the ratchet wheel more rapidly than it would run down due to the take-up action, thereby 'gradually in- V creasing the tension upon the goods, and ultimately, after the spring had, been wound to its maximum extent, it would virtually positively'turn the take-up roller.- To avoid" this condition, provision is made, when the ratchet wheel turns more rapidly than the take-up roller, to render the ratchet wheel inoperative and maintain it inoperative un-- til the take-up roller has turned to such an extent as to cause the spring to run down to the extent required to balance the excess to which it has been wound up. a

For the purpose of stopping the rotation 'of the ratchet wheel 26, there is provided (see Figs. 3 and 6) a guard 33, pivoted to a bracket 34:, and adapted, when moved by a spring 36, to engage a projection 35 on the awl 27 and move it out of operative relat on with the ratchet wheel. Normally,

however, the guard 33 is restrained from.

moving out by a pin 37 thereon running on the inside ofa cam 38 secured to the ratchet wheel. There is however, a short break in the cam, and when, in the. turning of the ratchet wheel, the pin 37 reaches this break, the guard 33 is free to be moved, by the spring 36, into position to disengage the pawl 27 from the ratchet wheel 26; This action, however, will not occur if the takeup roller should be turning at precisely the same speed as the ratchet. wheel, because when the pin 37 rides off the end of cam 38,.

a 'pin 40 on the take-up roller is'so positioned that it will engage the tail 39 of the guard 33 and prevent'its being thrown out far enough to release the pawl 27 and furthermore will maintain the pin 37 in position to be engaged by the beveled end of the cam 38, which, as scon as it reaches the pin, again restrains guard 33 from operating during another rotation of the ratchet wheel. take-up roller will not turn at precisely the speed of the ratchet wheel, but will lag behind more or less. Under these conditions, after the ratchet wheel has made a complete rotation and the pin 37 has reached the end of the cam 38, the pin 40 is not in position to restrain the guard 33 from being moved outward into position to disengage the pawl 27 from the ratchet 26. Hence the rotation of the ratchet wheel 26 ceases until the feed roller 18 has completed its revolution, at which time the pin 40 moves into position to withdraw the guard 33 from action and reinstate the pawl 27, which thereafter turns the ratchet wheel into position to again bring the pin 37 within the cam 38, after which the ratchet wheel is continuously turned for another revolution. It will thus be seen that the tension of the helical spring 25 can vary only to the extent of a fractional turn of one end thereof relatively to the other end. Spring 25 is of such a length that this variation is neglis gible, so that, practically, the tension of the spring and consequently the pull upon the fabric is constant in the sense of being uniform.

Another pronounced advantage of the take-up motion is that the spring tension upon the fabric is continuous and uninterrupted, as distinguished from being intermittent, as in those take-ups in whicn the tension is interrupted at every turn of the needle cylinder, causing a sharp pull on the fabric at each of said turns, and as in the take-up of my earlier Patent No. 1,1L9,262,

in which the tension is interrupted at the end of a plurality of revolutions.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1'. In a' circular knitting machine, the combination with a rotatable needle cylinder and a take-up roller, of a spring tending to turn the take-up roller onits axis as the goods from the needle cylinder are fed thereto, and means adapted to actuate the needle cylinder and maintain the spring in continuous operative relation with the roller.

cylinder and bodily turn the take-up roller in harmony and to maintain the tension device continuously in tension and in opera- Ordinarily, however, the

tive relation with the roller tending to turn it on its axis, thereby, during the operation of the machine, continuously drawing down the fabric as it is knit.

3. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a rotatable needle cylinder and a take-up roller, of a spring in continuous operative relation with the roller and tending to continuously turn it'on its axis, mechanism adapted to maintain. the tension of thespring substantially constant, and driving means operatively connectedwith the needle cylinder and said mechanism.

4:. In a circular knitting machine, tlie 30 combination with a rotatable needle cylinder and a take-up roller, of a spring in continuous operative relation with the roller and tending to continuously turn it on its axis and thereby diminish its tension, mechanism tending to increase the tension of the spring during its actuation of the. roller, thereby maintaining said tension substantially constant, and driving means opera tively connected with the needle cylinder and said mechanism to elfect their harmonious operation.

5. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a take-up roller, a spring in continuous operative relation with said roller and tending to continuously turn it on its axis, and means to maintain the tension of-said spring substantially constant. 6. In a. circular knitting machine, the

combination of a take up roller, a spring in 160 I continuous operative relation with said roller and tending to continuously turn it on its axis and thereby diminish its tension, and means tending to increase the tension of the spring during its actuation of the roller, 1

end of which is in fixed relation to the roller 11o and the other end of which is loose relatively thereto, and means to actuate the latter. end of the spring to maintain its tension upon the roller substantially constant.

8. In a circular knitting machine, the

combination of a rotatable needle cylinder,

a take-up roller, means to rotate the-cylin der and bodily rotate the take-up roller in unison, a spring in continuous-operative re-I lation with said roller andtending to continuously turn it on. its axis, and fixed means and means cooperating therewith rotating with the cylinder and roller, adapted to maintain the tension of the spring.

9. In a circular knitting machine, :the combination ofa rotatable needle cylinder, a v take-up roller, means to rotate the cylinder and bodilyrotate the take-up roller .in unison, a spring in continuous operativerelation with said roller and tending to con- 1-30 tinuou'sly turn it'on its axis and thereby diminish its tension, and fixed means ,and'

- relation to the roller and the other end of which is loose relatively thereto, and fixed means and means cooperating therewith rotating with the cylinder and roller, actuatits tension upon the roller and means preventing the latter end of the spring from being'actuated in the opposite direction.

11. In a circular knitting machine, the

combination of a rotatable needle cylinder, a

- take-up roller, means to rotate the cylinder spring, a driving pawl for actuating the andbodily rotate the take-up roller in unison, a. spring in continuous operative relation with said roller and tending to continuously turn it on its axis, a ratchet wheel con- Y nected with the spring and adapted when and, means operable in the rotation of the needle cylinder andin the bodily rotation of the roller to actuatethe pawl.

12. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a rotatable needle cylinder, a take-up roller, means to rotate the cylinder and bodily rotate the take-up-roller in unison, a spring one end of which is in fixed relation to the roller and the other end of which is loose relatively thereto, a ratchet wheel connected with the latter end of the ratchet in one direction, a pawl holding the ratchet from movement in the opposite direction, and means operable in the rotation of the needle cylinder and in the bodily rotation of the roller to actuate the pawl.

13. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a rotatable needle cylinder, a take-up roller, means to rotate the cylinder and bodily rotate the take-uproller in unison, a spring-in continuous operative relation with said roller and tending to continuously turn it on its axis, a ratchet wheel connected with the spring and adapted when turned to maintain the tension of the spring, a pawl for actuating the ratchet, a fixed-cam, and a member turning with the cylinder and engaging said cam and conn'ected'with said pawl to control the latters operation.

14:; In a circular knitting machine, the

combination of a rotatable and oscillatory with in the rotation and oscillation of the cylinder, adapted to maintain the tension of the spring substantially constant.

15. In a circular knitting machine, the

combination of a take-up roller, a spring in continuous operative relation witlr said roller and tending to continuously turn it onits axis, mechanism tending to increase the tension of the spring, and means to intermittently render said mechanism inoperative to avoid a substantial increase of the tension upon the roller.

16. In a circular knitting machine, the

combination of a rotatable needle cylinder, a take-up roller, means to rotate the cylinder and bodily rotate the take-up roller in unison, a spring in continuous operative relation with said roller. and tending to continuously turn it on its axis, a ratchet wheel connected with the spring and tending when turned to increase the tension of the spring, a pawl for actuating the ratchet, means operable in the rotation of the needle cylinder and in the bodily rotation of the roller to actuate the pawl, and means'to intermittently render the pawl inoperative to prevent substantially increasing the tension of the spring.

17. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a take-up roller, a spring in "continuous -0perative relation with .said

roller and tending to continuously turn it on its axis, mechanism tending to increase the tension of the spring, means to render said mechanism inoperative, and means controlled by the take-up roller to render said mechanism again operative,

18. In a circular knitting machine, the

combination of a rotatable needle cylinder, a take-up roller, means to rotate the cylinder and bodily rotate the take-up roller in unison, a spring in continuous operative rela-v tion with said roller and tending to continuously turn it on its axis, a ratchet wheel connected with the spring and tending when a pawl for actuating the ratchet, means operable in the rotation of the needle cylinder and in the bodily rotation of the roller to actuate the pawl, means to intermittently render the pawl inoperative, and means conturned to increase the tension of the spring,

trolled by the take-up roller to reinstate the pawl. I

19. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a rotatable needle cylinder, a take-up roller, means to rotate the cylinder .and bodilyrotate the take-up roller in unison, a spring tending to turn said roller on its axis, a ratchet wheel connected with the spring and tending while turning to increase 13.;

its tension, a pawl in operative relation with the ratchet wheel, means operable in the rotation of the cylinder to actuate the pawl, a guard adapted to render the pawl inoperative, a cam turning with the ratchet and adapted, during the major part of its rotation, to render the guard inoperative, and means controlled by the take-up roller to bring the guard into operative relation with said cam.

20. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a rotatable needle cylinder, a take-up roller, means to rotate the cylinder and bodily rotate the take-up roller in unison, a helical spring one end of which is in fixed relation to the roller and the other end of which is loose relatively thereto, a ratchet wheel turning on the axis of the roller and connected with the latter end of the spring, a pawl actuating the ratchet, means operable in the rotation of the needle cylinder and in the bodily rotation of the roller to actuate the pawl, a guard adapted to render the pawl inoperative, a cam turning with the ratchet wheel to render the guard inoperative, and means turning with the take-up roller to bring said guard and cam into operative relation.

21. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a rotatable needle cylinder, a take-up roller, means to rotate the cylinder and bodily rotate the take-up roller in unison, a helical spring one end of which is in fixed relation to the roller and the other end of which is loose relatively thereto, a ratchet wheel turning on the axis of the roller and connected with the latter end of the spring, a pawl actuating the ratchet, means operable in the rotation of the needle cylinder and in the bodily rotation of the roller to actuate the pawl, a spring-actuated guard adapted to render the pawl inoperative, a cam extending around the ratchet wheel and holding the guard from operation but broken away at one point to allow said guard to operate, and a pin turning with the take-up roller and adapted in the latters rotation to engage said guard, withdraw it from operative position, and bring it into operative relation with said cam as the ratchet wheel is again turned by the pawl.

22. In a circular knitting machine, the combination of a rotatable and oscillatory needle cylinder, a take-up roller, means to rotate and oscillate the latter bodily in harmony with the rotation and oscillation of the needle cylinder, and means to continuously maintain a substantially uniform tension upon said roller to cause the same to turn on its axis and maintain a continuous and uniform tension on the fabric fed from the needles.

23. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with the driving mechanism, of a take-up roller, a spring tending constantly to turn said roller against the tension of the goods, said spring tending therefore to unwind as the fabric is knit, means continuously actuated by the driving mechanism and adapted to wind said spring at a rate not less than the rate of unwinding, and normally inactive mechanism adapted at intervals to be actuated to render said Winding means inoperative, thereby, in the event of the spring winding faster than it is unwound, allowing the unwinding operation to alone continue until the normal tension of the spring is restored.

24. In a circular knitting machine, the,

combination of a needle cylinder, a gear, a take-up roller arranged to turn bodily with said gear, a fixed ring having an endless cam, a pawl-lever turning with said gear and engaging said cam, a ratchet wheel operated by the pawl lever and turning on the axis of said roller and bodily turnable therewith, means to turn said gear and the needle cylinder in unison, and a spring, one end of which is connected with the roller and the other end of which is connected with the ratchet wheel and means preventing the latter end of the spring from being actuated in the opposite direction.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, on this 8th day of Sept., 1915.

HARRY A. HOUSEMAN. 

